The European Union has emphasised its strong commitment to supporting cities in Ghana to confront climate change challenges toward sustainable development amid rising urbanization and population growth.

According to the EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly, the EU is spending 40 billion euros globally to address the impact of climate change on local economies.

He disclosed this at the EU Climate Diplomacy Week, where four mayors from Accra, Tema, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ningo-Prampram, and Awutu Senya East joined forces with the EU to address the pressing issue of climate change.

"Today's roundtable was a testament to our collective resolve in tackling climate challenges head-on. It's crucial that these local insights and experiences from Ghana are brought forth at the upcoming COP28 to ensure global climate strategies resonate with local realities" he remarked.

Elizabeth Sackey, the first female Mayor of Accra, reflected on the event's significance, saying, “This roundtable has been a powerful platform for us to unite our voices and concerns. As we approach COP28, it's clear that the challenges we face in Accra are shared by many, and together, we can advocate for meaningful global action and support.”

The roundtable also saw the participation of Anita Love Obo Amissah, Municipal Chief Executive of Awutu-Senya East Municipal Assembly; Yohane Amarh Ashitey, Mayor of Tema Metropolitan Assembly; Innocent Haligah, Metropolitan Coordinating Director, Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, and Al-Latiff Tetteh Amanor, District Chief Executive of Ningo-Prampram District Assembly.

As rapid urbanisation and population growth continue to pose significant challenges, these visionary leaders who are members of the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa initiative (CoM SSA) recognise the urgency and importance of collaborating to find sustainable solutions.

“The event emphasised the need for innovative climate solutions and robust support systems, especially in climate finance and sustainable energy, but also increased investment in cities to fight against floods. Yohane Amarh Ashitey, Mayor of Tema Metropolitan Assembly noted.

"Our cities are at the frontline of climate impacts; today's dialogue has reinforced the necessity for innovative approaches and enhanced support to tackle these challenges effectively”, he added.

Because young people care deeply about climate change and will be most impacted by it, Patience Agyekum, who will represent the youth of Ghana at COP28 joined the last part of the meeting to include the youth.

Roundtable advocate for increased adaptation finance

Concluding with a consensus on key strategic messages, the roundtable set the stage for Ghana's representation at COP28, advocating for increased adaptation finance, sustainable energy solutions, drainage and waste collection system, and the amplification of locally-led climate initiatives. The discussions also highlight the importance of integrating climate action into the broader urban development agenda.

CoM SSA is the regional chapter of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), the largest global initiative of cities addressing climate and energy challenges. This bottom-up initiative encourages cities to voluntarily set and achieve ambitious yet realistic climate and energy targets. As of 2023, the network includes over 350 cities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Since January 2019, the initiative has been co-funded by the European Union, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) with a total funding amount of €35.7 million, providing in-depth support to cities in 14 countries, including Ghana. It is jointly implemented by four European Member State Organizations: GIZ, AECID, AFD and Expertise France.